Common-Law sponsorship - how to get?

[bmts]

I´m in a bit of a situation.

My significant other and I are from different countries - he lives in the USA, and I live in Canada.
After much discussion, it has been decided that he would like to live here permanently. He has only been here for short visits here and there. We have no plans to get married right now so sponsoring him that way is out of the question.

I read that it was possible to sponsor someone as a permanent resident if they are your common-law partner, but I´m not sure how this is possible. I was told that he could apply for a visitor visa (does he even need one of those?) for 6 months, go home for a week or so, re-apply for another one, then that´s 12 months and we´re common law, and I can apply to sponsor him from there. Is this true? Or is there a better way to go about this?
I don´t think he can count as a skilled worker, and he isn´t a student, so I´m not sure of a way to get him here long enough for us to be common law partners.
Also, could he apply for a work permit under a visitor visa?

Any help and/or insight would be greatly appreciated.

[rjessome]

The only way he could apply for a work permit is if he has found a job with a company who has obtained a positive labour market opinion from Service Canada allowing them to hire foreign workers.

Depending on your circumstances, you could consider the conjugal route of sponsorship although I hear it is extremely difficult when there is no barrier to marriage.

The US is a visa exempt country so basically he can come and visit you for up to 6 months before he is required to leave.  He doesn't need a visa but if he is "moving" here and is questioned at the border, CBSA can deny him entry or limit the amount of time he is allowed to stay.  Assuming they didn't question him, he would have to leave Canada at the end of 6 months and re-enter or apply to have his visitor status extended through CPC - Vegreville, Alberta.

[bmts]

I had figured the conjugal way wasn't a good way.

I could most likely support both of us until he was able to apply for PR. Since he doesn't need a visitors visa, how would he go about extending his visiting stay to 12 months?